Maldives police in violent crackdown against opposition

Several opposition officials hospitalised in rally calling for the release of jailed former President Mohamed Nasheed.

28 Nov 2015 05:16 GMT

Police on Twitter confirmed their use of pepper spray to disperse protesters, adding that no arrests had been made [AP]

A number of opposition figures in the Maldives have been hospitalised after police used pepper spray to suppress a demonstration calling for the release of jailed former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Police stepped in after thousands of opposition protesters assembled at the Artificial Beach in the capital Male on Friday for the start of a three-day protest by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Several former ministers, the deputy chair of the MDP, and the party's vice president were among the wounded, sources told Al Jazeera.

The demonstrators were calling for the release of Nasheed and 1,700 political detainees by the administration of President Yameen Abdul Gayoom, which took control of the Indian Ocean nation in 2012 after a disputed election.

After formally rejecting the protesters' demands, Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer issued demonstrators with an ultimatum on Twitter to disperse by midnight or police would be called to clear the area.

Asked Police to restrict the protestors to the Beach and end it by 12. (Law 1/2013, Art 33, 41) Others have a right to sleep & move freely.